A book cover has to work that much harder than say, a CD cover for the obvious reason that sampling a book actually requires you to read it. In the case of the best work, a books narrative begins with the visual narrative of the front page.

The Book Archive not only gives kudos to book artwork that works harder than most, it acts as a pretty resource into the book designers, their use of fonts and the genres in which they specialize. The archive lets you view over 1350 covers for the ‘Purposes and Appreciation and Cateragization’, meaning in this case, you can judge a book by its cover.

I’ve been known to do a little doddle on my shoes, even had the fabulous Brennan & Burch doodle on some old Adidas trainers for me. So when Bucketfeet caught my eye it nearly made me open up a new pack of felt tips.

Bucketfeet is a footwear company that collaborates with global artists to produce colourful graphics for basic pumps. The philosophy is that each pair of pumps are a blank canvas for a means of expression and an opportunity to contribute to the founders passions. Providing arts and sports programmes for poor children around the world, with 5% of their profits going to their charitable partners.

Love the concept. Love the product. However what I wasn’t so amoured with the ‘brand’. The fashion industry is a tough market and taste maker fashion is an even tougher gig, usually reliant on a bunch of trendies to take said style to heart and proliferate to the masses while they move on to the next thing.

For a style conscious brand with an actual conscious, it’s important to be able to compete on all levels as your competitors. That means paying attention to the total communications package. A slick website, beautiful photography and a brand proposition that screams ‘buy me’ are must haves. The good news is that this is something Bucketfeet can easily rectify in time, allowing them to access an even wider market and share more profits with their chosen causes.

Bored with your over sized headphones already? Looking for alternative amplification? Well Mr Simo have got you covered with their Boomcases.

Take a leather or wood vintage suitcase, add a couple of sub woofers, top with a few customised features and there you have it; your own super stylish sound system.

Definitely targeted at the discerning muso and those with an undying love of handmade craftsmanship. The Boomcases are a quirky example of an up-cycled product made for new technology. A perfect pairing me thinks.

The world’s economic paradigm is shifting quicker than Lewis Hamilton would in a Red Bull. Brazil has officially overtaken the UK to be the 6th largest economy and Africa is the new China.

The relatively recent growth of the African nations is based on rich commodity resources (but that’s nothing new), improved infrastructure and a generation of young folk wholly embracing technology.

However, the perception of change on the continent will be a tad slower. Decades of mediated images and reports of famine, war and dictators has left westerners with a single vision perspective.

Afrographique is a blog that consciously aims to change that through infographics based on economic and lifestyle data from the African continent. From countries broadband speeds, Co2 emissions to foreign investment in Africa. Created by Ivan Colic, an art director at Zoom Advertising Cape Town part of the Ogilvy and WPP group, is an interesting story in itself.

The repositioning of the African continent for the 21st century has only just begun. First step first though, and it’s an important one. Repeat after me; Africa is not a country.

Illustrator Matt Green turns his hand to 3-dimensional merchandise with Brenda; a laser engraved, hand finished bamboo iPhone case made by Grove that is arguably more impressive than the phone itself.

If you know anything about the living legend that is Lance Armstrong then you’ll know that he’s still alive because he is a legend, which is why the Live Strong adage makes sense. For those of you that need bringing up to speed, Armstrong is a record-holding seven-time winner of the Tour de France and cancer survivor.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation unites, inspires and empowers people affected by cancer and anyone with a pulse. When it comes to a story like Lance’s you don’t really need to sell it, you just need to tell it, courtesy of a minimalist booklet designed by Hort and co-signed by Nike.

We popped down to St. Pauls a few weeks back to finally see the Occupy London camp for our selves. Whilst talking to a young fella, we came across another occupant who happened to be giving his mum – who was apparently checking up on him on her way home from work – a tour of the site before she left. The story makes the last image in this series particularly poignant. The others speak for themselves.

Banksy pays real attention to the world around him, which is why unlike many artists – musical, visual or otherwise – his work will always be around us.

Apparently the bearded man is nowt but a myth. I didn’t want to be the one to break it you, but if you’re gonna hear it, best to hear from LBB and illustrator Christina Guitian.

If you fancy spreading Xmas cheer to your loved ones, the card is available from Christina’s studion in Dalston, London. Just drop her a line. Ho Ho Ho…

As Europe battles with a harsh economic reality, it also struggles with the notion that the very future of the eurozone rests in the hands of a woman. Sometimes an image masquerading as commentary says more about the commentator – Steve Bell – and society at large than it does the commentated upon.

The semiotics of this image – run in The Guardian on Friday – features Angela Merkel in the role of dominatrix. For insecure men with cahoonas issues, such images are probably the only way of quantifying the German Chancellors influence in Europe without their already fragile sense of masculinity falling into ruins like the Greek economy.

Even tougher economic times lay ahead. This 2010 illustration proves again that through his message, Banksy always stays ahead of the curve.

In the right hands typefaces can really come alive. This type experiment – courtesy of graphic designer, photographer and illustrator Paul Hollingworth –uses repetitive linear shapes to form letter forms.

Expect to see this one bouncing merrily down your stairs soon.

A really nice minimalist player and visual mechanism by Build for ‘Close’ – an anonymous music collective – comes slightly undone by a webpage that annoyingly rescales the image and has no pause on the player. The beautifully shot images by Benjamin Grillon are in a very high resolution, so you can scale them until your hearts content. but it’s the ‘scaling down’ that is the issue.

Bit of a shame, as this promo site looks pretty damn sexy. The music’s not too shabby either (I’m particularly feeling Beam Me Up). It’s worth noting that the Build boys are some of our favourites in the design stakes. It’s just that a little bit of polish in the programming / coding department would have seen this project do more than come close, but hit the mark entirely.

Before texts, before email, there was pen and paper; two ancient mediums that were as precious as they were personal.

Annie Vought takes the precious to new levels with her work that includes the painstaking process of enlarging hand-written letters/doodles and cutting away the negative spaces with an X-ACTO knife.

If you’re folks used to pass letters in the playground when they were kids at school, show them this and watch their jaws drop.

A retrospective twist on an old sci-fi favourite by Olly Moss, who has the uncanny ability knack of bringing a touch of ‘film noir’ to film classics ranging from Blues Brothers, Rocky and Robocop.

These posters have a real art house feel to them, which when considering the production process involved in making Star Wars in particular, is pretty apt. In the Return of the Jedi poster, I can almost smell the humid air of the Dagobah planet. I go too far? OK I’ll stop now.

I don’t know when in 2012 this film is coming out. Christian Bale aside, I don’t even know who’ll be starring in it. I do know however that this teaser poster is simply dope.

An image of anarchy and apocalypse depicted with such craft can only bode well for the film itself.

New music from The Insomniax. The Love She Wants is the music you need. If you have bass bins then I suggest you turn them up, because laptop speakers won’t cut it.

New type by super lick foundry HypeForType, who just turned two and are looking good for it.

Custom type is all the rage didn’t you know, which is why HypeForType offer the latest in Haute Fonture. I didn’t make that up, they did.

Nick Mcqueen and Josh Walsh, two recent graduate from Camberwell College of Arts developed their own DIY camera track and dolly. Using skateboard wheels, mdf and a heap of planning, they manage to make a super sexy piece of grip equipment.

With their Graphic Design course now costing £9,000 a year, more and more students will likely be doing the same. SOZ GRIP HIRE COMPANIES.

Ordio Kid of Urban Nerds goes in hard on his May mixtape which is free to download via his DJ Ordio Kid Mixcloud page.

In the mix you’ll find more big tunes and remixes than you can poke a stick at, with artwork produced by the twenty%extra crew.

Wiley isn’t so much raising the bar, as he is defining where it should be set.

Apparently music is supposed to be a young man’s game. Over the last few years in particular, Wiley is showing that it’s really a smart mans game, with an alternative approach that continues to keep his growing audience guessing.

1:10 -1:17, second from left – an old skool move that may not show his age, but definitely shows mine.

Tangible ‘benefits’ simply, yet ingeniously illustrated. It can only be the work of Noma Bar.

Banks hold up the robbers? I’d heard the banks were the robbers. The objective truth might not be on display, but the subjective truth most definately is. It’s important folks, to remember the difference between the two…

This vibrant, unpredictable typeface by I Love Dust for Nike Running Club showcases the thing those crazy runners love doing and the many places they love doing it.

Pan Am Airways may have gone bust in 1991 but the beautiful simplicity of these 1971 ads by iconic American design agency Chermayeff & Geismar still endure.

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via Etsy

We’re 14 days into the Year of the Rabbit, and it’s hopefully not too late to showcase some antique bunny-themed goodness from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston collection. Happy 2011 people!

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via Pink Tentacle

What do you do when you stumble across a nice idea? Well if you’re the guys and gals at Effektive you develop the hell out of it to create full typeface that’s as simple as it is abstract.

According to the website they’d not even developed the font with a design job in mind, but there is now something in the pipeline. Watch this space…

A rather tasty typeface from illustrator Lucy Wragg.

From lettuce leaf to runner bean. From broccoli to leak. It’s all about the dedication to typographic food refinement.

Just got an email / video reminder from Ronzo about this evenings exhibition at the StolenSpace Gallery, so it’s only right I pass it on.

As for you? Well…pass it on…

Ronzo‘s second solo exhibition features a new series of paintings, collages, prints and sculptures showing life in the ‘Ronzo Borough of Crackney’ (let’s just assume that the ‘C’ stands for ‘crazy’).

It may be ‘a dark but funny place’, but if it inspires such a range of vibrant creativity then we’ve got a lot to thank London’s East End borough of Hackney for.

Ronzo‘s vision of Crackney can be seen at the StolenSpace Gallery, The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Bricklane, London E1 6QL, UK from the 18th (tomorrow) to the 21st of November.

Thinking of going? Then click here for a proper google map.

So where do I start. The question is where did he start? Stephen Walter must have walked down every street, worn out a lot of shoes and even more pencils in the creation of his work, which isn’t confined to the wonderful insanity of the London Series.

At first glance it appears to be nothing more than a complicated, incomprehensible map. On second and third glance the work showcases more detailed, humorous street knowledge than an army of London cabbies could muster.

With his second album, Oliver ‘Skream‘ Jones is clearly thinking outside the box. Take a look inside the box though and you’ll find attention to detail and an appreciation of the small print.

He and many of his peers have been stepping up the pace in the marketing and branding stakes, ensuring that a musical movement is seen heard, not to mention actually held in your hand. MP3’s? What about MP3’s?

Art work from the Sequences Real-Time Art Festival from back in 2008, proves that not only is milk good for your bones, but it’s good for font design too. Providing you’re willing to make an awful lot of mess.

The 2010 version of the festival runs from October 30 to November 7 in Reykjavík, Iceland.

This Is Collate does exactly what it says on the tin: it’s a stylistic collation of some of the best examples of design showcased using a simple yet dynamic navigation tool called Dynamix.

Click < & > to view the work, click ∧ for info on the work, click ∨ for info on the site itself. Simples.

Art direction, illustration, typography & design by Non-Format for the new Magnetic Man 12″.

Look at how the light version of the typeface in the second image takes its form from the bold ‘M’ of the very bold and striking Magneto Man logo.

If you use your noddle like these guys, custom typeface design needn’t be so hard, but it sure will look hot.

The blueprint for the Church / Synagogue / Mosque of the future perhaps?

The three most practised religions all in place; depending on which way the sun shines.

If you work with type or have any interest in typography, you’ll understand how challenging laying out type well can be. The thing about good typography is that when you do it well only other type-nerds notice. Do it poorly and it can stand out a country mile.

Antonio Carusone’s 8 Simple Ways to Improve Typography In Your Design is a great article that covers the various problems designers face when setting type and how to best approach them. leading and no more hanging quotes for you.

Not everyone will notice but the sense of satisfaction will be worth it, and those in-the-know will know.

Impressive showreel from Kristofer Ström; the maker of Benga’s Baltimore Clap.

He uses a simple hand-made style full of charm and plenty of character, or should I say characters. Enjoy.

I’m an F1 addict. if you know me then you already know this. Symptoms include an ability to slide the topic into any conversation, severe hypertension before the red lights go out and mild nausea in between races.

I fill these days with the amount of re-runs I can watch, sites I can read and articles I can write for my F1 blog. The McLaren brand team has obviously been inside my mind. With their site intro and screensaver, they’ve managed to capture that obsession with a countdown to next race measured in seconds, drivers’ blinks and car updates (of which their better be plenty) amongst some other unusual measuring tools.

As well as stepping the performance on their car, McLaren have upped the anti on user interaction and engagement with their fan-base this season with a website that goes some way in reflecting their commitment to beautiful yet functional aesthetics. Openness and transparency has been the Formula 1 promise over the last year-or-so. McLaren have also added a tone of voice, which manages to keep junkies like me in check until race time.

New cover illustration work from Cristina Guiian for the Association of Illustrators Directory, or AOI for short.

The AOI provide a great resource for Illustrators. Amongst many things, they represent the licensing interests of artists old and new, which could one day include you.

I pick anything with one of Martin Wollerstam’s illustrations on it. His work is often featured on flyers for uber-sexy club night Fabric, but you lucky buggers get to see some choice cuts here.

It’s no mean feat to draw with the imaginative abandonment of a 6-year-old and the skill of, well, a very very good (and ridiculously prolific) illustrator.

Insight / inspiration for some bespoke Adidas store furniture by the guys at creative production studio SRK.

Did he really say his feet are ‘shell toe shaped’? Inspiration or insanity; call it what you want.

I dropped Matt a line to let him know we featured him on the blog. He was happy to hear that, and sent this wonderful illustration in his email.

You shouldn’t give to receive, but when you do [receive that is] it really is quite nice.

It was only a matter of time: the return of the tape cassette. I’ve been waffling on about its return for some time now though I’m not one to blow my own trend-setting trumpet.

The tape release of Goldfrapp’s latest album Head First could well see the floodgates open in the near future, as other tastemaker artists / labels are do whatever it takes to create commercial viability / visibility for their physical products.

The albums is of course available in the traditional formats, but I’m sure though that Goldfrapp’s longstanding relationship with Big Active will have no doubt forced the creative issue.

Too young to vote? No probs. Old enough to vote? Then I hope you did, as last weeks elections affect all of us whether we get involved with the political process or not.

And if you were in any doubt what a hung parliament might look like, The Guardian website has put together a very impressive graphic interface that makes quite a convoluted picture just a little clearer.

The UK election results map is clean, informative and very easy to interact with – sadly nothing like the politicians we’ve just voted for.

This project is for 13-24 year olds and is being held at the Geffrye Museum, Kingsland Road, London, E2 8EA. www.geffrye-museum.org.uk

Introductory Event: Saturday 8th May: 11am-3.30pm

This one-day event is to introduce the programme, experiment with architectural designs and test out materials and concepts. Come and meet the artists and build a prototype structure. Lunch will be provided.

Short Course: Tuesday evenings 5-7pm:

11th, 18th, 25th May, 8th and 15th June followed by a one day exhibition launch event on 19th June.

Work with professional artists, ecologists and architects to design and build a temporary architectural structure. This course will look at structures in the natural world to inspire proposals for communal living environments. You will have the chance to experiment, in a supported environment, with a range of materials and drawing and construction processes, to build a temporary structure for exhibition.

Your work will be exhibited to the public at the Geffrye Museum, launched through a day event on 19th June.  A certificate of attendance will be provided at the end of the course for use in your CV. No previous experience necessary, just an enthusiasm to be part of the project!

This project is FREE but places are limited, to book a place or for more information please contact Gemma at the Geffrye Museum:

e: ggottelier@geffrye-museum.org.uk

t: 020 7749 6002/ 07957 161 497

A sense of humour is something you just can’t buy. Add a touch of self deprecation and you’ve got the individualistic work of illustrator Matthew Green.

We worked together on Volkswagen’s Incredible But True campaign a few years back, and Mr. Green’s new work proves he’s lost none of his touch.

Time Out magazine and ads for The Economist (bottom image) are other places you may have seen his distinctive wood cut style, but really Matt, with such a rich list of clients, I have to say icantbelieveitsnotbetter.

What to do in an age of ever-decreasing record sales and the impending death of analogue?

Well if you’re Stones Throw, whose founding father Peanut Butter Wolf has a more than vested interest in vinyl culture, you teamed up with Serato and J Dilla Estate for the ultimate analogue digital combo.

For the uninitiated, Serato Scratch Live is a DJ software that allows DJs to use their ever growing MP3 collection while utilising the ancient art of Turntabalism ( or good old fashioned record spinning). J Dilla was a prolific Hip-Hop producer who passed away 2 years ago from Lupus, leaving a legacy of music longer than all our arms put together.

He was also a Momma’s Boy, and this set of 2 discs with six J Dilla tracks (2 sides with Serato Control Tone) and 2 donut slipmats in a package designed by Studio No.1. will be released May 10th, the day after Mother’s day.

If simplicity is the key then Noma Bar has got the door well and truly open. With an illustrative style as clean as it is clever, Noma has worked with clients such as Esquire and The Guardian Guide.

Never one to pass up the chance to creatively use some Negative Space, his work always comes complete with an interesting double narrative and in the case of his new exhibition Bitter Sweet, an interesting range of materials.

Bitter Sweet began yesterday and runs until April 31.

Apparently it took the J-man 3 days to resurrect himself, but fair play and an almighty ‘hallelujah!’ to Dave Smith, who’s managed to do it in 5.

Not a bad effort, considering it was only the end of last week we were mourning the demise of one of the design worlds most creative blogs.

But we shouldn’t have even batted an eyelid, as Dave has popped up on the Grafik magazine blog where he’ll be contributing every Friday with a round up of new work from that week. The new blog is called The Cache – genius.

Can he turn water into wine? Who knows, but if he can continue to seek out all that is gold, then that’s more than enough for us.

V&A Decode generative identity from postspectacular on Vimeo.

Decode: Digital Design Sensations at The V&A Museum in South Kensington London showcases the freshest in digital and interactive design, from small, screen-based, graphics to large-scale interactive installations.

It runs until April 11, and is just one of a glut of amazing exhibitions on in the capital right now.

We’ll be letting ya’ll know more about those shortly…

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via mi mate Andrew @ future deluxe

Recent work created for the recent Art In Industry exhibition and CIDA from friend and fabulous illustrator Cristina Guitian.

Did you know that the Jamme Mosque in Spitalfields was originally a French Protestant Church before becoming a Methodist Chapel, then a Synagogue before it finally became a Mosque? I didn’t either, but I’ll let Cristina tell you all about it.

Check out the making of the humongous Knotted Arms installation piece in the video above. Cristina’s work is always a visual treat. With The Art of Football illustrations for Nike (see website), you know she knows nowt about football, but the work proves that’s probably a good thing. John Terry for England captain anyone?